


Sometimes it takes an apocalypse, but siblings can bond (or 3/7 can)

by Thistley



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Angst, Ben is still a ghost, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Five Finds Out About Ben, Five has PTSD from the Apocalypse, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Insecure Klaus Hargreeves, Insecurity, Mentions of Klaus Hating His Power, Mentions of Past Torture, Mentions of past drug use, PTSD, Reginald Hargreeves is a Bad Father, Sad Klaus Hargreeves, Sibling Bonding, Sobriety, five has feelings, mentions of Vietnam, mentions of past substance abuse, the mausoleum
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-16
Updated: 2020-06-16
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:27:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,704
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24756262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thistley/pseuds/Thistley
Summary: "Five supposed it should’ve been obvious from the very beginning. Even before Klaus’ trip through time to Vietnam he’d been odd, but everyone had chalked it up to his constant substance abuse and had left him alone. It had been so easy to assign the symptoms of PTSD to drug use. Even before Five had disappeared Klaus had been unstable."In which Five and Klaus bond over their shared PTSD, Klaus spills the beans about Ben and they drink too much alcohol. Inspired bythispost by tumblr userprinzessinbuttercup.
Relationships: (Past and Mentioned), Ben Hargreeves & Klaus Hargreeves, Dolores/Number Five | The Boy (Umbrella Academy), Number Five | The Boy & Ben Hargreeves, Number Five | The Boy & Klaus Hargreeves
Comments: 18
Kudos: 489





	Sometimes it takes an apocalypse, but siblings can bond (or 3/7 can)

  
Five supposed it should’ve been obvious from the very beginning. Even before Klaus’ trip through time to Vietnam he’d been odd, but everyone had chalked it up to his constant substance abuse and had left him alone. It had been so easy to assign the symptoms of PTSD to drug use. Even before Five had disappeared Klaus had been unstable. 

It took a broken plate for it to click. They’d been in the kitchen, not necessarily together but inhabiting the same space. Five, still not used to his sudden 13-year-old body, had tried to reach for a mug. Instead, he’d slipped from his tip toes and pulled a plate down with him, which had subsequently smashed quite spectacularly on the tile floor. Klaus, who had previously been sitting and staring at a half-eaten sandwich, shoved his chair back and was on the floor in a flash. 

Five felt his heart pound in his chest as he watched his brother heave gasping breaths, eyes flickering from the floor to an empty space at the table. 

“You, too, huh?” Five said from where he was still standing. 

Klaus seemed to come back to himself, shakily standing up and sitting back at the table. His hands were shaking violently, and Five knew that it wasn’t from the drugs. 

Klaus’ eyes flicked up to Five, to the empty space and then back to Five again. He didn’t speak. 

“It’s okay, you know.” Five approached slowly, keeping himself in Klaus’ direct line of sight. He rested a hand slowly on Klaus’ shoulder. “C’mon.” 

Klaus wordlessly stood and followed him, much less argumentative than Five expected. 

They sat on the sofa. Five looked at Klaus. “PTSD, huh?” 

Klaus’ gaze flicked to him. “That obvious?” he asked, chuckling bitterly. 

“Only when you know what to look for,” Five said, dropping his gaze. “I’m sorry, I really didn’t know. I wouldn’t have been so hard on you if I did.” 

Klaus fidgeted for a moment. “How do you know the signs?” 

Five laughed humorlessly. His fingers gripped the fabric of his shorts. “I was stuck in the aftermath of the apocalypse at thirteen. I buried the dead bodies of four of my siblings. I killed so many people.” 

Klaus seemed struck. “I - I never...Five -” 

Five interrupted him. “I’m surprised I even made it long enough to get back.” 

They both sat in a thick silence for a few moments. Five risked a look up to see Klaus looking contemplative, eyes a little glassy and far away.” 

“Klaus?” He asked, getting worried. 

Klaus snapped back into reality. “I know what you mean. The only reason I’m still here is…” he trailed off. 

Five raised an eyebrow. “Is?” 

Klaus sighed deeply and slid down the sofa, spreading himself out. “You won’t believe me.” 

“Try me,” Five bit. 

Klaus continued to look up at the ceiling. “The only reason I’m still here is Ben.” 

Five reeled back. “Ben?” That wasn’t what he expected. 

“He’s been with me for thirteen years, always there, keeping me sane, I guess,” Klaus murmured slowly. 

Five was speechless. His long-dead brother, he’d made himself forget as much about Ben as he could, heartbroken by his death even years later. “I thought you couldn’t conjure when you’re high?” He asked. 

“I can’t,” Klaus replied. “Ben is the exception. And I never conjured him, he just appeared one day and never left.” 

Five’s heartbeat sounded far too loud in his ears. He couldn’t hear an ounce of insincerity in Klaus’ words. They were always close, they shared a room even after being offered separate ones. It made sense that Ben would seek out his favourite brother, who just happened to be the one with the power to see him. 

“What’s he like?” Five heard himself ask quietly. 

Klaus seemed a little taken aback. “He’s just like he was in life, I guess. A bit more cynical. Makes more death jokes. He looks our age, though.” Klaus seemed to pause at this, going off into thought. “In fact, it’s weird…” He sat up straight and turned to look at Five. 

Five met his gaze. 

“When I see ghosts, they appear as they died,” Klaus said. 

Five felt his breath hitch slightly. “You mean, with their cause of death injuries?” 

Klaus snapped his fingers. “Exactly! Except for Ben. You can’t tell how he died at all.” 

“Probably for the best,” Five said. “Is he here right now?” 

Klaus nodded and patted the arm of the sofa. “Sorry, Ben. I know you hate it when I do that.” 

The space was definitely empty, no hint that anyone could be sitting there. It made sense though, and it certainly explained why Klaus was always staring at vacant spaces. “Ben never did like sitting normally,” Five murmured. “Hi, Ben,” he said. 

Klaus was quiet for a moment. “He says hi. He’s also freaking out, you’re the first person he’s talked to except for me in thirteen years.” 

“Poor guy,” Five said, deadpan. 

“I’m glad you believe me,” Klaus said quietly. “I wanted to tell everyone, but I knew they’d think I was lying. I’d do a lot of things, but I wouldn’t lie about Ben.” 

“I know,” Five replied. “I know how close you were. Are still, I guess.” 

Five looked back at Klaus. “Did you have PTSD before Vietnam?” he asked. 

“Ouch, that was blunt,” Klaus said, mock-hurt. He put a hand to his heart. 

“Answer the question.” 

Klaus bit his lip. “I don’t know, maybe.” 

Five nodded. “Why?” 

Klaus rubbed a hand over his face. “You guys never understood what it was like having a power like mine. That’s part of why me and Ben were so close.” 

“Ben was afraid of The Horror,” Five said. “You were afraid of the ghosts?” 

Klaus was getting heated, fists clenched beside him. “You don’t get it. I had all these horribly deformed ghosts always there, always screaming for me to help them. Jesus, I was just a kid!” 

“So you started the drugs.” 

Klaus looked at Five. “Dad would lock me in the mausoleum. I was so scared, I needed something to shut my brain off. I realised that I couldn’t see the ghosts when I was high, so I stuck to it.” 

“He really was a fucking terrible father, wasn’t he,” Five sighed. “I can’t understand Luther’s loyalty to him.” 

“He’s number one,” Klaus said bitterly. “He doesn’t have a hard to control power. He never got locked in small spaces. The favourite child.” 

Silently, Five agreed. “He would lock me in restraints and leave me until I could Jump out,” he told Klaus quietly. 

They looked at each other. “Drink?” they said in unison. 

Smiling slightly, Five stood up and made his way to the bar, aware of Klaus following behind him. He began to mix a margarita, and then paused. “Does this break your sobriety?” 

Klaus sat and shook his head. “Alcohol is okay. Doesn’t affect my power.” 

Five nodded and poured two, sliding the bright green drink over to Klaus. He took a sip of his own. “What was Vietnam like?” 

Klaus also took a sip. “It was...I don’t know. The war itself was horrible.” 

“I sense a ‘but’ coming,” Five said, glancing sideways at Klaus, who was already halfway through his drink and absently topping it up with straight vodka, 

“I met a guy. Dave. I loved him so much I followed him to the front lines, and then he died.” Klaus was solemn. “He died in my arms. And then I landed back here, almost immediately after.” He looked down at his drink and Five saw a tear drop in. 

“I’m sorry,” Five said. 

Klaus waved a hand dismissively. 

“I had no human contact for so long. I had Dolores, but…” He saw Klaus’ eyebrows raise. “Look, I’m not stupid. I know - I know she's a...mannequin.” He downed his drink, and then took a long gulp straight from the vodka bottle. 

“I know,” Klaus said. Loneliness does weird things to you.” 

“That it does,” Five said, pouring whiskey into his empty glass. 

They drank silently until Klaus broke the silence. 

“You never really had a childhood,” he said. 

“No,” Five agreed. “I didn’t.” 

“None of us did, but you especially,” he continued. 

Five frowned and took a gulp of whiskey. “What’s your point?” 

Klaus shrugged. “I don’t know. Is there anything you regret not doing?” 

Five stopped to consider. He’d never done a lot of things. Never been to the cinema. Never been in a relationship, not a real one. Never been a real teenager. “I don’t know. Lots of things I suppose.” 

Klaus hummed, shutting the topic down. “I think I have...PTSD,” he grimaced at the word, “from when Hazel and Cha-Cha kidnapped me, too.” 

Five looked over at him. Klaus was looking down into his almost empty glass, a haunted expression on his face. 

“10 hours, they had me. And no one even noticed I’d gone.” 

Five looked down, feeling slightly guilty. “I’m sorry.” 

Klaus shook his head and laughed painfully. “Don’t. You had much more important things to worry about.” 

Five felt his heart sink a little. “You’re important too, Klaus. I wouldn’t have fought so hard to get back here if I didn’t think that. You’re family.” 

“Family doesn’t mean shit.” 

“You do. All of you. You can piss me off to no end, but you’re still my family. And...if you ever want to tell the others about Ben, I’ll vouch for you.” 

Klaus smiled, a full genuine smile. “Thanks, Five,” he said. 

Five reached to top up his drink before pausing and retracting his hand. “Remember when we used to sneak out to Griddy’s Donuts?” 

Klaus nodded. “Yeah?” 

“We should do that again.” 

Klaus nodded again. “Yeah. Okay.” 

“Ben?” Five asked, looking at Klaus since he had no idea where Ben was currently sitting. 

“Ben says sure.” 

Five stood and brushed off his blazer. “If I Jump us there, will Ben come along?” 

Klaus nodded and held on to Five’s wrist. “Let’s go.” 

They popped out of the room just as the door opened and Diego walked in. “Why’s there a broken plate in the kitchen?” he complained to thin air. 

**Author's Note:**

> I finished watching Umbrella Academy last night and stumbled on this idea. They might be a little OOC, but I hope you enjoy. Leave a comment if you're so inclined!
> 
> EDIT: why did no one tell me how horribly the format was on mobile!!! I fixed it, really sorry


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